Editing Clark, New Jersey (section)

==Government==

===Local government===
Clark Township is governed within the [[Faulkner Act]], formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the [[Faulkner Act (mayor–council)|Mayor-Council]] system of municipal government, which is governed by a "[[Strong-mayor|strong mayor]]".<ref name=Administration/> The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Clark Township Committee is comprised of seven members, who are all chosen on a partisan basis in even-numbered years as part of the November general election. Three members are elected [[at-large]] from the township as a whole and four are elected from [[Ward (United States)|wards]]. The three Council-at-large seats and Mayor come up to vote together, and then the four ward seats are up for vote two years later.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 98.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=10 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 10. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://www.ourclark.com/217/Form-of-Government Form of Government], Clark Township. Accessed January 12, 2025.</ref>

{{As of|2025}}, the [[Mayor]] of Clark is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Angel Albanese, who was appointed on an interim basis to serve on a term of office ending December 31, 2028, that had been held by Sal Bonaccorso until he was forced to resign from office. Members of the Township Council are Council President Angel Albanese (at-large; R, 2028), Council Vice President Bill Smith (at-large; R, 2028), Steven M. Hund (Third Ward; R, 2026), Frank G. Mazzarella (First Ward; R, 2026), Jimmy Minniti (at-large; R, 2028), Patrick O'Connor (Second Ward; R, 2026), and Brian P. Toal (Fourth Ward; R, 2026).<ref>{{cite web |title=Clark Reorganization Meetings Continue as Township Council Members, Mayor Sworn In |url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/clark/sections/government/articles/clark-reorganization-meetings-continue-as-township-council-members-mayor-sworn-in |website=TAPinto Clark |access-date=January 13, 2025 |date=January 6, 2025}}</ref><ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.ourclark.com/202/Mayor-Council Mayor & Council], Clark Township. Accessed January 12, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://www.ourclark.com/DocumentCenter/View/2200/2024-Adopted-Budget#page=14 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Clark Township. Accessed January 12, 2025.</ref><ref name=UnionDirectory>[http://www.unioncountyvotes.com/elected-officials/ Union County Elected Officials], [[Union County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 12, 2025.</ref><ref name=Union2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/122834/web.345435/#/summary General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Union2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/119032/web.317647/#/summary General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 3, 2024.</ref><ref name=Union2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/116135/web.303253/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 3, 2024.</ref>

In January 2025, Mayor Sal Bonaccorso, who had just been re-elected for his seventh term, pleaded guilty to charges of criminal misconduct and was required to step down from office; Council President Angel Albanese will serve on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is chosen to fill the balance of the term of office.<ref>Nieto-Munoz, Sophie. [https://newjerseymonitor.com/2025/01/10/disgraced-clark-mayor-resigns-under-plea-agreement-in-misconduct-case/ "Disgraced Clark mayor resigns under plea agreement in misconduct case"], [[New Jersey Monitor]], January 10, 2025. Accessed January 12, 2025. "Embattled Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso stepped down Friday as part of a plea agreement that required his resignation following criminal charges and a racism scandal. Bonaccorso, 64, pleaded guilty in Superior Court in Union County to conspiracy to commit official misconduct in the third degree, and forgery in the fourth degree.... Council President Angel Albanese will serve as acting mayor until the township’s Republican committee submits candidates to serve as interim mayor."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Clark is located in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District,<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#22 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 07}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 22}}

{{NJ Union County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
Although Union County as a whole is heavily Democratic, Clark is considered a Republican stronghold. In the 2016 Presidential election, [[Donald Trump]] received 5,182 votes (61.7% vs. 30.5% countywide) versus 2,967 for [[Hillary Clinton]] (35.3% vs. 65.9% countywide). In 2020, Trump won 5,872 (60.8% vs. 31.5% countywide) versus 3,659 (37.9% vs. 67% countywide) for [[Joe Biden]].<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2016/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-union.pdf Presidential November 8, 2016 General Election Results Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed March 12, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-union.pdf Amended Presidential November 3, 2020 General Election Results Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed March 12, 2022.</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Clark|source=<ref>{{Cite web |title=NJ DOS - Division of Elections - Election Results Archive |url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-information-results.shtml |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=nj.gov}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|6,109|3,372|156|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,872|3,659|133|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,182|2,967|251|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,538|3,041|97|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,093|3,038|85|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,819|3,237|80|New Jersey}}
|}

As of March 27, 2024, there were a total of 11,952 registered voters in Clark Township, of which 3,240 were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 3,956 were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 4,650 (49.4% vs. 42.9%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 106 voters registered as [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref name=VoterRegistration>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-union-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Union], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 27, 2024.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 69.1% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 87.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212202223/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 |date=2020-02-12 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 4,538 votes (58.6% vs. 32.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 3,041 votes (39.3% vs. 66.0%) and other candidates with 97 votes (1.3% vs. 0.8%), among the 7,741 ballots cast by the township's 10,614 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.9% (vs. 68.8% in Union County).<ref>[http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-union.pdf Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201192205/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-union.pdf |date=February 1, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140201191259/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-union.pdf Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Republican [[John McCain]] received 5,093 votes (61.5% vs. 35.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 3,038 votes (36.7% vs. 63.1%) and other candidates with 85 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 8,276 ballots cast by the township's 10,550 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.4% (vs. 74.7% in Union County).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-union.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 4,819 votes (58.7% vs. 40.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 3,237 votes (39.4% vs. 58.3%) and other candidates with 80 votes (1.0% vs. 0.7%), among the 8,209 ballots cast by the township's 10,493 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_union_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref>

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2017|2017 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Kim Guadagno]] received 2,688 votes (59.2% vs. 32.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Phil Murphy]] with 1,734 votes (38.2% vs. 65.2%), and other candidates with 117 votes (2.6% vs. 2.1%), among the 4,607 ballots cast by the township's 11,373 registered voters, for a turnout of 40.5%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2017/2017-general-election-results-governor-union.pdf |title=Governor - Union County |date=December 21, 2017 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=November 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2017/2017-gen-elect-ballotscast-results-union.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 7, 2017 - General Election Results - Union County|date=December 21, 2017 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=November 23, 2024}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 67.4% of the vote (3,016 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 31.3% (1,402 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (60 votes), among the 4,549 ballots cast by the township's 10,438 registered voters (71 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-union.pdf |title=Governor - Union County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-union.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Union County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Republican Chris Christie received 3,375 votes (63.4% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 1,500 votes (28.2% vs. 50.6%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 365 votes (6.9% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 40 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,327 ballots cast by the township's 10,302 registered voters, yielding a 51.7% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-union.pdf 2009 Governor: Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230050/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-union.pdf |date=2012-10-17 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref>